Skipping Rocks
by Eien.Rain
Summary: Syaoran needs to vent out his frustrations, and goes to the park.... Fluffy, [SxS]Oneshot


The pond glittered brightly with the gentle lights of the setting sun, the Penguin Park slide reflected glossily on its surface. A flat rock bounced across the smooth surface, rippling and tormenting the water. It skipped several times, and then hit the water and sank. Another joined it, coming to rest a foot away.

He snatched up another rock, slipped it into the proper rock-skipping position, and brought his arm back to throw the rock into the water. It slid out of his hand roughly, and it fell into the waves, not even bothering to skip once.

"I found you! I knew you'd be here. You always are." A cheerful voice split his concentrated silence and he jumped, but covered up the movement by sweeping down to grab another rock.

"Am I?" he asked curtly, hurling the rock onto the water. It skipped once, lamely, before curving and plopping into the water.

Sakura gave him a puzzled look. "What's wrong? You look so angry."

"I'm not angry!" he blustered. He cursed himself inwardly. Yup, _that_ sure made him seem un-irritated. He forced a smile and looked at her. "Really, I'm not."

She wasn't impressed. "C'mon, Syaoran. I've known you since we were ten- I can tell when you're annoyed. Tell me! Maybe you'll feel better."

Syaoran looked at her skeptically before shaking his head. "Nope. Not this time, it won't."

"Syaoran…" Sakura looked at him and asked quietly, "Is it because of something I did?" Her soft green eyes were full of worry and kindness. Syaoran nearly melted- her selfless love for everyone else was always something he had admired-- no, _loved--_ about her. Her willingness to listen and share her feelings. Her caring nature and strong friendships and family bonds. She was….perfect.

"Ah…I…" Syaoran was taken aback before anger came, exploding into him more strongly than before. Words burst forth from his mouth before another breath could be taken. "I'm mad because of _him_! The guy you went and _kissed_ this afternoon, in case you forgot! Hiro Gosunkugi!"

Sakura's eyes widened. "You're mad…Because of _that_? Why? He happens to be my boyfriend!" she said defensively. "Are we not allowed to show affection?!"

"No! You aren't!" Syaoran glared at the smooth stone in his hand before casting it away, watching it skip several paces before it was washed gently away. If only that jerk Gosunkugi would leave just as easily. "He's a jerk! He's un-faithful! He'll be the very first to hurt you!"

Sakura's face flushed. "Hey, hey, hey! You have no right to go and say that about Hiro! And that's a lie, anyway! Hiro is kind, gentlemanly, true, and understanding!"

"_Kind_? _True_?" Syaoran asked incredulously. "Wasn't it just today that he stole a freshman's Biology textbook and dumped it in the janitor's sink? And, why, only yesterday, wasn't it him who was sent to the principal's office for making out in the halls so long that he was late for class?!"

"Stop it! That's not true!" Sakura's face became a dull shade of pink, but she was hiding a humongous grin. "You're acting like a spoiled, over-protective, jealous brat!"

"So, what if I _am_ jealous!" Syaoran cried without meaning to. It had just…slipped out. Sakura's face paled.

"You're….jealous? Of Hiro?" she asked, her 'anger' snuffed out with curiosity and embarrassment. "But….why?"

"No reason you need to know." Syaoran said stubbornly. Another rock slide across the pond's surface, splashing as it joined the others in the cool wet. Sakura looked at him a minute before smiling slightly.

"Syaoran, will you teach me how to skip rocks? Please?" she asked, already knowing that he would. He looked at her suspiciously, before giving a small nod.

"You hold it like this," he said. He bent down, grabbed a smooth, flat stone, and placed it in her hands. He used his own fingers to rearrange hers to fit comfortably around the rock. He blushed at the contact, but in the setting sun, it wasn't noticeable. "Then you throw," he brought her hand back, "like _this_." He glided her hands forward, showing her how to release.

"Okay, like…this…?" Sakura brought her hand back as he had shown her, and threw the rock forward. It landed with a loud, "_plond_" without skipping once. Syaoran bit back a laugh as small droplets of water fell on Sakura's disappointed, but determined, face. She _was_, after all, very cute. Especially to Syaoran. He blushed again, but placed another flat stone into Sakura's hand.

"Try again. Like this," he took her hand, brought it back, and once again showed her how to sweep it forward. She tried again, but the results came out the same. After several more pitiful attempts, Sakura finally said,

"You know… I'm not really dating Hiro."

Syaoran stared. "But you said…"

"I know what I said," Sakura said softly, apologetically. "I was, well, kidding. He was dared to kiss four girls before the day ended. I… just wanted to see your reaction if… if I said I was dating him. I'm sorry, it was wrong of me…." She took on a lighter tone, "But now," Sakura expertly tossed the skipping stone into the pond, watching, satisfied, as it skipped across the entire length of the pond, actually skirting the opposite end of the pond before hitting the edge and sinking. "I want to know why you were jealous."

Syaoran watched, open-mouthed, and said, "You're better than I am! Why have me teach you?"

"Well… you calm you down. But, more importantly, why were you jealous, Syaoran?"

"Because- I- I….I'm not going to tell you! You tricked me!"

"Sya—oran," Sakura whimpered, drawing out the syllables in his name. "Tell me? Please?"

Syaoran flushed, noticeably, this time- not even the close-by darkness could hide the deep shade of red that now crept into his cheeks. "I….I…Sakura, no- not that face! No!"

"Syaoran was jealous, and I want to know why! Tell me, please?"

"No!" It was quite impossible for Syaoran's face to get any redder- if it had, you could feel the heat radiate from a foot away. He glanced at her, but she had her face pulled into a cute pout. He looked away immediately. "N-no! Why do you want to know, anyway?!"

"I'll tell you if you tell me," Sakura smiled. "C'mon, Syaoran…."

"Ah- I- B-…………………………………." Syaoran took a deep breath. "I thought he'd take you away from me." he whispered. The sun finally sank below the trees, and a soft darkness began to take hold.

"Taken…me away? But… he's a jerk! I would never…Ah, Syaoran, no one's going to take me away. Especially…." She broke off. Syaoran urged her.

"Yes?" He elongated the word, relishing the deep flush that now occupied her face. In his mind, she deserved embarrassment, especially after what she had put him through.

"Well, because! I don't want to tell you!" she turned away to hide her face.

"As I recall, dear Sakura, you promised to "tell me if I told you". Isn't that right?" he teased, moving around her so the he could see her face again.

"Because—Because I'm in….I like you, a lot." She finished, then turned and moved a step away.

Syaoran's eyes widened, not expecting the blunt declaration. "You….do?" he asked, not even realizing he had said anything. Sakura felt like crying, all of the sudden. Did this mean that he didn't feel the same…?

"Yeah," she said weakly. "I do." Before she could move away yet again, Syaoran broke out of his reverie. She liked him! A _lot!_ His mind raced, and he wondered what to do—his head was in a fog, and she was starting to walk… in his somewhat blinded state, he impulsively went after her……….and she was in his arms, engaged in a kiss before she could fully turn to face him.

_The End!_

I'm sorry for making that the end… I just didn't feel that I could add more onto it. I hope you enjoyed it. Criticism and comments are welcome, though I'd rather have praise than flames. :P Happy new year, by the way! ---Eien.Rain


End file.
